Asioli, Bonifacio

1769-1832

Italian dramatic composer and writer on musical subjects. A very precocious musician. Began to study at five and at eight had written three masses; a series of twenty sacred works; a concerto for the piano and for the violin; and several sonatas. When he had completed his studies at Parma he was made conductor at his native town, Correggio. From 1787 to 1796 he lived in Turin and in 1799 settled in Milan, where in 1808 he was appointed censor and professor of composition and singing at the new Conservatory at Milan. He visited Paris in 1810 and in 1813 returned to Correggio where he remained until his death, composing, and directing a school of music which he had established. Asioli's works consist of seven operas, one of which is comic; an oratorio, Jacob; a very large number of masses, cantatas, motets and songs; also chamber-music; a symphony; an overture; sonatas, concertos and organ pieces. T He also wrote several very fine textbooks on music.